The Senior Vice President, Zipline Africa, Mr Daniel Marfo, has lauded the government of Ghana for the bold decision of opting to use drone technology to improve healthcare delivery in the country.

“The government of Ghana needs to be commended for the rather bold decision of adopting the Zipline technology at a time when many thought it was not possible to use drones to deliver medical commodities,” Mr Marfo said.

“The government stands vindicated as the technology has been of immense help in the health system in Ghana, particularly in the delivery of medicines and blood components to hard-to-reach areas of Ghana”.

Status of operations

Zipline currently operates from four distribution centres in Ghana; Omenako, Mpanya, Vobsi and Sefwi Wiawso. The company makes an average daily delivery of 100 medical commodities from each of the distribution centres. “Our services have been well received across the country and it seems to me that only those in the city centres, where we do not serve, still doubt the significant work we are doing in Ghana,” the Country Manager of Zipline Ghana, Mrs Yawson Naa Adorkor said.

To date, Zipline has delivered over 650,000 medical commodities across all the four distribution centres. Of this number, more than 42,000 were medical products while the remaining comprised blood products, vaccines and COVID-19 samples.

Expansion to Nigeria

The signing in Cross River State brings to two states in Nigeria that have signed onto the Zipline technology. Construction is already underway in Kaduna State, after a successful signing earlier this year.

Commenting on the partnership with Zipline, the Governor of Cross River State, H.E. Ben Ayade, said “Health care is one of our top priorities, and we are committed to creating a system in which no one is left behind. Zipline is a key innovative part of our investment in our health systems. Their delivery service will help us to remove access barriers to health care and help create a more equitable and efficient system across the state”.